This is it, I promise, the final reference of any kind concerning high school basketball, and we open with a repeat topic: When is an All-City basketball team not an All-City basketball?

When the team is selected in Waterbury.

It has been suggested that the selection of an All-City team has become something of an antiquity around here. Not true. Area coaches first selected All-NVL and All-City teams in 1945. There is no reason to stop either now. The All-City team means a lot to the players in this town, which is why we ask the next question: Why aren't all basketball teams in Waterbury represented in the All-City process?

Neither Kaynor Tech nor Chase Collegiate are invited to participate in the selection of the All-City basketball teams.

Kaynor Tech and Chase athletes can earn a place on All-City teams in cross country, track and golf because they compete against the five city NVL schools in annual championship meets or tournaments.

But in all others, the Panthers and Highlanders are not considered.

Once upon a time, Kaynor Tech had a seat at the table. The first Panther to earn All-City status was Ken Lewis in 1969. Others were Chris White (1977), Darryl Lovett (1984) and Rufus Freeman (1985, 1986).

On the girls side, and this is not an all-inclusive list by any means, Ingrid Kelley was All-City for Tech in 1985, as was Charlene Shepard of Notre Dame Academy, 1984 through 1986. I could not find a player from St. Margaret's-McTernan or Chase Collegiate on the team.

The last sniff of the squad for the Tech boys came in 1991, when Jason Arnauckas was named to the second team. In 1990, Lucretia Spellman of Tech was voted second-team girls. That's it.

For more than 20 years now, if you don't play for a city NVL school you are not All-City worthy.

There has been one reason given, and it was repeated again this year: You can't cast a vote for a player you've never seen play.

That's a good point, but it doesn't explain why the Crosby, Holy Cross, Kennedy, Sacred Heart, and Wilby coaches own the singular voting honor. Would not the All City teams selected by Hank Spellman, J. Paul Vance, Brian Stasaitis, and Ray Behr be equally valid?

Lack of representation is significantly noticeable this year, with players like Terrance Thompson, Tre-Kel Douglas, and Tre'von Gibbs for Tech being All State worthy, but not All City. Other players like Kyle Bonicki, Ryan Shiel, Matt McClain, Taylor Brady, Idalis Miranda, Daelyn Kale, and Audra Spellman are, for lack of a better word, ineligible.

That needs to change.

A word about the ladies: When we say ladies, we need to say eighth-grade ladies. There are eighth grade phenoms out there who will make their mark on high school basketball in seasons to come. One of them already has.

Chase Collegiate's Idalis Miranda is just an eighth grader, but that didn't stop her from competing with the Highlanders varsity this season. Miranda averaged 12.4 ppg, led the team in assists and steals, was third in rebounding, and was the only eighth grader to compete in the New England prep school all-star game.

The other is Jalissa Rodriguez of North End Middle School. Nicknamed Wolverine, Rodriguez averaged 20.3 ppg for North End, set a school single-game record when she scored 37 points against Tyrell Middle School, and when she hit a basket with seven seconds left in the championship game against West Side Middle School, Rodriguez helped North End to its third straight city title.

Rodriguez will attend The Taft School in the fall.

It is a pity that the Chase and Taft girls do not meet on the court.

A final word: We say farewell once again to many star basketball players, but happily, we have many with star potential returning next season.

Players like Walter Wright and Gabbie Holness produced a brand of basketball that will long be remembered here. There were many records set by these young stars, some of which may stand for many seasons to come, such as the 11 3-point field goal night of Wamogo's Nick Nemergut back in the state tourney of 2011. It remains a Berkshire League and, as far as we know, a state single-game record.

If any player comes along and makes 12 3-pointers in a game I sure hope I am in the gymnasium to see it.

We will have memories-in-the-making for the 2013-2014 season. There is one that I can see in the crystal ball right now:

Currently, Matt Curtis, Jordan Williams, Phil Lott, Dave Vigeant, Jerome Malloy, and Edmund Saunders are the only area players who have done it.

Can you guess?

Good job: Score 2,000 points for a career. If he stays healthy, Crosby's Tyshon Rogers is a sure bet to become just the fourth player in city history to become Mr. 2,000.

A final video: Visit the Rep-Am's Hoop Zone webpage, at www.rep-am.com/hoopzone, to check out one last video, a tribute to area players who crossed the 1,000-point threshold this season.

And that's it, time to bust out the bats and balls and clubs and rackets, and shots and javs, it's time for spring, somewhere.

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